The U.S. Open, held this past August in Cherry Hill, N.J., is one of this country’s most popular tournaments, drawing more than 400 participants this year. As befitting an American “open” event, it is also one of the world’s most democratic tournaments. All the participants play in one section, so, theoretically, every player has a chance to encounter a grandmaster. The following game from Cherry Hill was played in the penultimate round. The white pieces were wielded by Alex Lenderman, who is the world champion under age sixteen. The black pieces were guided by a far more experienced player, who happens to be one of the New York Sun’s columnists. Who won? The New York Sun is proud to announce that Boris Gulko is the 2007 U.S. Open champion.

LENDERMAN VS. GULKO (white) (black) Smith-Morra Gambit

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3!? This sharp gambit is the young champion’s main weapon against the Sicilian defense. His experienced opponent was facing this gambit for the first time in a lengthy career. 3… dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3 d6 7. Qe2 Be7 8.0-0 Nf6 9. Rd1 e5 10. Bb5!? A new idea: white creates the threat of 11. Nxe5. A more common path here is 10. Be3 0-0 11. Rac1 and white has enough compensation for the pawn. 10… Bg4 White would enjoy a positional advantage in the event of 10…0-0 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Nxe5. 11. Qc4?!

Better was 11.h3! Bxf3 12. Qxf3 a6 13. Bc4 b5 with approximately equal chances. 11… 0-0 12. Bxc6 Rc8!

White would be better after 12… bxc6 13. Qxc6. Now white returns a pawn, but black obtains an excellent game. 13. Qa4 bxc6 14. Qxa7 d5! 15. Qa4 d4 16. Qc2 Nd7!? For strategic victory black has to push his c-pawn to c4. But first the e5 pawn has to be protected. The immediate 16…Qc7 didn’t work because of 17. Nb1 c5 18.b3 c4 (in the event of 18…Nd7 19. Nbd2 white stops c5-c4) 19. bxc4 Qxc4 20. Qxc4 Rxc4 21. Nxe5; and the direct 16… c5 17. Bg5 c4 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Nd5 permits the white knight to hop into the center. 17. Ne2 c5 18.b3 c4! 19. bxc4 Qc7 20. Ng3 White’s problems would not have been solved but 20.a4!? Qxc4 21. Qxc4 Rxc4 22.a5 Ra8 was more challenging. 20… Qxc4 21. Qxc4 Rxc4 22. Nf5 Bxf5 23. exf5 Ra8! 24. Bb2 No better was 24. Bd2 Rca4. 24… g6!? 25. fxg6 hxg6 26. Rdc1 Rb4! 27. Rc7 The attempt to weaken the black pawns via 27. Rc2 d3 28. Rc7 Rxb2 29. Rxd7 Raxa2 30. Rf1 would lose by force: 30…Rxf2! 31. Rxf2 Ra1+ 32. Rf1 Bc5+ 33. Nd4 Bxd4+ 34. Rxd4 Rxf1+ 35. Kxf1 exd4 36. Ke1 Kg7 37. Kd2 Kf6. 27… Rxb2 28. Rxd7 Raxa2 29. Rc1 No difference was made by 29. Rf1 Bf6 30.g4 Rb3 31. Kg2 e4 32. Nxd4 Rd3 and black still wins. 29… Bf6 30. Rf1 (See diagram)

A counterattack would not rescue white here: 30.h4 Rxf2 31. Rc8+ Kg7 32. Rcc7 Rxg2+ 33. Kh1 Rgf2 34. Rxf7+ Kg8 35. Rfd7 (35. Rxf6 Rf1+ 36. Ng1 Rxf6) 35…Ra8 36. Ng1 e4 37. Nh3 Rd2 and black wins. Now black decides the outcome of the struggle with a pretty combination. 30… e4! 31. Rd6! White doesn’t have 31. Nxd4 Rd2 and black wins a piece. 31… Kg7 32. Nxd4 Rd2! 33. Nb5 e3! 34. Rxf6!? The white knight is cut off from the battle, and the e3 pawn is unstoppable in lines like 34. Rxd2 exd2 35. Rd1 Ra1; or 34.g4 e2 35. Re1 Rxd6 36. Nxd6 Ra1. 34… Kxf6 35. Nc3! Both black rooks are under attack–the a2 rook directly, and d2 rook through the fork 36. Ne4. But black has the last word. 35… e2! 36. Re1 Rd1! White loses both his pieces after 37. Nxd1 Ra1. 0-1

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